Under the Maple Tree
by Candied sweets xD
Summary: Gilbert is traumatized and paranoid, no longer able to socialize with people due to his fear of betrayal. That is, until he meets Matthew, an untainted boy who has never left his forest home, and has no wish to either. PruCan AU


**Okay was supposed to be a short oneshot but turned into a full fledged 20 page thing on Word. And it's not done D: So I'm splitting it up into a multi-chapter story (which will probably be long as well) 'cause I'm not going to edit something that's 50 pages long or something == And I doubt anyone would want to read that much in one shot... ****I hope this won't interfere with all my other multi chappie fics :P**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

* * *

**The world is not infinite. It is large, but it has to end somewhere. If you sail off in one direction, you will always end up in the same place that you started. You cannot keep going forever.

Choices. They are infinite. With infinite results, some big, some small. Now we ask, what if? What if we

His name was Matthew Williams. As a child, he had been abandoned by his parents and was later found by an elderly couple that became his mom and dad. He was not born there, but he lived his entire life in the forest, and could not bring himself to sever himself from it.

I never understood why. Why would he never leave that small forest when there was a much bigger world out there, waiting for him? Almost every time I would ask him this question, he would smile that self-conscious smile and go back to painting.

He was eccentric in more ways than one. Granted, his upbringing probably played some part in that, but there was something else under that forest boy strangeness. No. Matthew was unique. Other people didn't see it, they ignored him and overlooked him, but it was clear as day.

My life did not revolve around Matthew. But I think it is safe to say that he took up a very large part of it. I was not obsessed, but at some point I came pretty close to it. It was hard not to think of him, his beautiful smiles, his twinkling eyes that seemed to look right through my twisted soul.

My memories have become hazy as memories do over time, but I can still remember these things that made Matthew what he was, these things that made him so very unique. I cannot remember every conversation we had, every word he spoke, but I wish to preserve all I can.

It started on a rainy night, when the dark clouds gathered over the world. They splattered the bleak city with fat droplets of rain, forcing people back into the shelter of their homes. I myself was seated by the windowsill of Ludwig's house, my fingertips dancing along with the rain that fell on the cold window. I was so captivated by their little movements that I didn't notice the door open to reveal a sopping Ludwig.

"Bruder, help me out here. It's raining cats and dogs and the groceries are getting wet,"

I snapped out of my reverie and looked sleepily at my brother for a few moments before hopping off the window and to the door. The both of us were thoroughly soaked by the time we finally got the mass of food into the house and closed the door. Ludwig urged me to take a shower, but I simply shook my head. Why did I need to? The rain was cleaner than the polluted excuse for water anyway.

"Well in any case help me out with making dinner. I do not want to have to eat anymore of those refrigerated things," He then busied himself with getting food ready while I halfheartedly followed him, personally preferring to have 'refrigerated junk' than whatever Ludwig was going to cook up. We both knew that the reason we ate all that fast food now was because Ludwig was never home and I always was.

After eating, I eyed the extra bag of groceries lying on the kitchen counter curiously. Ludwig was never one to have leftovers, always carefully calculating everything to the point of perfection. His blue eyes followed my gaze, and he cleared his throat. "Could you clean up the table, please?"

So I found myself drumming my fingers on the sparkling surface of the table a few minutes later, listening to the sounds of kitchenware clinking around in the room next to me, vaguely wondering exactly what that boy was doing. He came in a few minutes later, a plate balanced on his hand. He laid it down and I saw a pile of slightly burned pancakes piled on it. He then laid a fork and knife in front of me, beckoning me to eat. Throwing a questioning look at him, I cut a small piece out, and chewed it slowly. It wasn't great; I could feel the charred edges of the hotcake on my tongue, its blandness leaving a sort of empty void in my mouth as I swallowed. Under Ludwig's gaze, or rather, glare, I cut another piece and ate it in the same fashion.

We sat in silence until I had finished everything on the plate. I reached forward for a tissue and used it to wipe crumbs off my lips, before turning back to Ludwig.

"What's with the pancakes?"

Ludwig knows I like pancakes, or at least, heard that I liked pancakes. I guess he's trying to use this to convince me to do something.

He sighed, slightly mussing his slicked back hair with his hand. "You haven't been out of the house lately, Gilbert."

"No, I haven't," I stated tonelessly.

"It's worrying,"

"I don't go out of the house because I don't want to. It's that simple,"

"Gilbert, I don't want you to become a hermit-"

"Yet you lock me in the basement for the better part of two years," There was no blame or anger in my voice, it was just an unfeeling, dispassionate sound. Nevertheless guilt flashed in those cobalt eyes, lingering for a few moments before disappearing behind eyelids and lashes. I leaned back in my chair, sighing quietly.

"Well, I decided that we should move to America," My head shot forward so quickly the chair almost toppled over, but I managed to balance myself. "Why?"

"Well, it seems like you don't like this city, and…"

It was true. I hated this place, the gray buildings, the clone-like people, the house that was so very big and far too small, this stupid house that I spent all my time in, never leaving. Yes, I hated this place. Among other things.

I hated the way Ludwig had to always care for me as if I couldn't do the job myself, yet distancing himself from me at the same time because despite being brothers, we were as unfamiliar with each other as strangers on the street. I hated that he thought I was a nuisance, a hindrance in his life. He never admitted it, but it was clear in his face, in his eyes. How he would try so desperately to get away from this house because I was here.

I hated Frederick for falling in love with that Italian girl. And ultimately bringing this on us.

I hated großvater, who was dead but not dead. I hated him for leaving us, for dying the way he did. For what he did to us.

And I absolutely despised how weak I was. Something had snapped after that incident, something that I had never been able to recover from. Something that Ludwig had come up from some time later, completely unfazed. Leaving him to piece our lives back together while his older brother sat in his little corner of self-pity.

And for Ludwig to choose America, of all places? Where guns were legal and anyone could just pull one out and shoot anyone with it?

Guns… the bile rose to my throat but I held it back. Hold it in, Gilbert. Hold it in.

"Whatever. I don't care." I pushed the plate from me, then got up from the table. "Thanks for the pancakes. I'm going to sleep now."

"Gil-" I ceased to hear him when the door to my room shut, leaving me to the peace of the darkness that enveloped me. I did not turn on the light, and instead settles on finding my way clumsily to my bed, I collapsed on the hard mattress, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dark as they found the long memorized cracks on the ceiling. Next to me, Gilbird chirped, softly nipping my ear. I patted the small bird gently, not averting my gaze from the ceiling.

"America… whaddya think, Gilbird?"

"Niyo!"

~.::~xXx~::.~

Guns. The officers had guns. Ludwig assured me it's only for safety's sake, but I could feel the nausea start to surface as I stared at those weapons. I could see the hand wrap around the end, the finger curl around the trigger, the bullet fly out of the barrel…

And we were through immigration, lugging our suitcases behind us. I had only a handful of things to bring here, seeing as my possessions only consisted of some clothes and useless trinkets anyway. Gilbird, incidentally situated upon my head, was more valuable than any of those material things anyway. He was a living creature, and much better company than Ludwig would ever be.

It was raining again. Rain is not so different in America. It's still the same, in fact. Apparently this place rains a lot. There are a lot of forests too, so as we drove down the road to our new house it's like we'd entered a giant canvas of green. The patter patter of water soon sent the already sleepy me tumbling into the world of dreams and fantasies.

We reached the house, which looked the same as our old one, a little bigger, I guess. Ludwig unlocked the door and opened it, calling me to hurry up and get our boxes inside. Ludwig doesn't like the rain, you see. He likes order, neatness, uniformity, and rain destroys that, sends everything in disarray. At least, according to him. Personally, I think that rain is the embodiment of orderliness, but Ludwig disagrees. Obviously.

I set down my stuff, only half listening to the instructions Ludwig barked as I made a round of the house. A thin layer of dust coated the floor and furniture. I ran a finger along the windowsill, inspecting the gray on my skin before wiping it off. Ludwig was going to have a field day cleaning this up. A smile quirked at my lips, but I quickly wiped it off when I went back downstairs. Ludwig was wiping his brow and leaning against one of the boxes, looking up at me expectantly. "Well, Gilbert? How is it?"

I shrugged wordlessly, turning my back to him to explore the back of the house. It actually was bigger on the outside, I noted to myself as I come back from inspecting the back rooms. As I crossed the living room, I spotted another the backyard door, and opened it a little to look outside. A green forest met my eyes. Wonderful

I considered calling to Ludwig to tell him where I'm going, but decided against it. The door was jammed slightly, but I managed to tug it open, and a blast of cold, wet air hit my face. Casting another look over my shoulder, I walked out into the grass, pulling the door closed behind me.

It was still raining, but not so hard as to stop me from going out. Besides, the tall trees shelter me from the majority of it. This made a nice change from the disgusting smells of the city. The moist squishing of the ground beneath my feet and the aroma of pine and fir smelled so much better. Bowing my head, I took off into the trees.

There was a makeshift road which I followed as the rain continued to fall above me. It was a little bit cold, but boy did it beat some stuffy house. I felt so much freer than I had in, heck, years.

I was walking on the road for at least half an hour before I heard it. A soft melody, blending in with the sounds of the forest and the rain. At first I thought it was my imagination, but as I kept walking it became louder, capturing my interest. As I followed it off the road at through some bushes, I spotted, purely by chance, a small wooden house tucked away between two large maple trees, barely visible behind the tall bushes that obscured it. Curious and wondering what it would be doing out here, I padded over.

Sitting under the shelter of the trees was a man probably no older than myself, his face hidden behind waves of blond hair. His clothes were baggy, hanging off his skinny frame and horribly tattered. Even from this distance, I could see the dirt that stuck to the brown fabric, giving the impression of not having been washed in a long time. He was bent over a canvas of sorts, paintbrush in one hand as he drew long and gentle strokes over the paper. Next to him was a… polar bear? (I didn't even think that they'd be all the way down here) and he was humming a tune I didn't recognize. I walked up to him slowly, hoping to get a better view of what he was painting.

"Why is the sky green?" The words were out before I know it, and the man jumped out of his seat in alarm. I took a quick step back, ready to bolt if he made any sudden movements, but he just sized me up with wide eyes, _violet _eyes; when was the last time I'd seen eyes that color? His mouth opens and closed several times like a goldfish before he spoke, and when he does it was soft and tentative, albeit slightly accusing.

"Who are you?"

It was simple enough. I decided I could trust him with my name, so I replied, "My name is G-Gilbert," I could hear the nervousness in my voice, and it disgusted me. Then I realized how long it had been since I'd spoken to another person, aside from Ludwig, that is.

The man raised an eyebrow to assess me, and I took another step back because those eyes were far too probing for my liking. Then he relaxed, his shoulder slumping back down and a smile coming to his face. "Sorry about that. I'm Matthew Williams. Nice to meet you, Gilbert,"

My name sounded so different coming from him, not spat out like how Ludwig addresses me, but soft and dreamy to the point that it was almost otherworldly. I nodded, then asked "What are you doing here?"

"Hm? Well, I live here."

"What, here?" I eyed the house, which I noticed now that I was closer to it was on the verge of falling apart, the door swinging precariously on its hinges, the windows broken, the wood rotting. But, Matthew, was that his name? He didn't seem to understand my surprise and nodded. "Yes. This is my home."

"How could you possibly live out here?" I questioned, the skepticism clear on my face. "There's no electricity, no food, no clean water…"

Matthew looked offended. "I have a generator, I just don't use it. And the forest offers much more food than any of your… what are they called? Smashing markets?"

"Supermarkets," I corrected, but decided not to press the matter. "So why do you live here?"

Matthew shrugged, looking up at his house. "I've lived here all my life. There used to be a village here. This house belonged to my parents, and when the rest of the village moved out to the cities, I had no wish to leave. So I stayed."

I tiptoed slightly to look over his head, and saw the small cluster of houses behind him. They were old though, mostly claimed by nature's arms. And uninhabited. "But don't you get lonely?"

Another shrug. "Not really. I have Kumaji to keep me company." He gestured at the polar bear that was currently munching on a branch or something. Loneliness… it is a subject I myself understood quite well, so I dropped that subject as well. He hadn't exactly answered my other question, but I didn't press him for it. Instead, I gestured at his painting. "So, why _is _the sky green?"

Matthew didn't seem to understand the question, so I pointed at his painting and repeat the question. He gave me a baffled look before pointing up at the leafy roof above us. "Because it is?"

Hm. Was that a forest boy's sense of humor? Nevertheless, a giggle escaped my lips and soon I found myself laughing for the first time in a long time, silently glad that I haven't forgotten how to. Matthew, however, quirked an eyebrow at me and I stop. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"You're joking right?"

"Uh… no?"

He didn't understand the look of utter incredulousness I gave him, and when I prodded him in the chest once, really hard, he swatted my hand away irritatedly. "What?"

"You've _never_ been out of this place before?"

Matthew shook his head but I refused to believe him. "Hardee har, that's very funny, but I don't believe you,"

This time he was the one to poke me in the chest and boy, he pokes hard. Panic flooded my mind for a second when his finger came in contact with my chest, but it disappeared when I realized he meant no harm; he was simply stating his place. "Well then that's too bad, but whether or not I've left the forest is none of your business so how bout you just leave, okay?"

Those angry words, only resentful in their nature and not in the tone in which they were spoken, struck me hard. That was rather odd; after all, I had only known this man for a few minutes. I guess it was the lack of human interaction.

"Fine, okay. I'm sorry I offended you. Truce?"

He looked at my hand, contemplating whether to take it or not, then finally shook it nervously. "Forgive me… it's just been a while since I've seen other people come here. It can make me irritable."

"Well that's all right, I get snappy too when I'm alone for a long time," _A long time at that. _Matthew didn't respond, only smiles and returns to his painting. I was content to just watch him paint the continuous green strokes, not commenting again on the eccentric sky.

"So, what happened to your village? Did the people just up and away?"

"That's the general gist of it. Obviously it was a lot more complicated than that, but basically they just felt like moving out of this dump and into 'civilization'," He scoffed bitterly.

"You disapprove?"

"No, not really. They can do whatever they please… I have no say in it."

"Then why didn't you go with them?"

"I like the forest, I guess. What's not to like?"

Well I hated the city as well, but not as much as to spend my whole life living like a caveman. And completely and utterly alone. I was lonely, yes, but not completely alone. I had Ludwig, as unsociable as he was, and heck, at least I know the sky was blue!

Matthew started humming a soft tune again and switched to using purple. As much as I was enthralled by the gentle strokes his hand drew across the paper, I knew Ludwig would be quite angry if I didn't go back soon, so I ask, "Can I come back tomorrow?"

Matthew turned to look at me. "Of course. It's been a while since I've had human company." He gets up, looks at the sky, and goes into his house to get a lantern. "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, my brother's going to kill me for getting back so late," I looked around for the road that I had come on, but could't make out left or right through the thick expanse of green. Matthew padded up to me, his lantern lighting the rapidly darkening ground. "Do you know the way back?"

I shook my head, so Matthew walked in front of me, looking back briefly to make sure I was following. I noticed he was barefoot; wouldn't he cut his feet on a branch or a thorn or something? But he hopped along the wet ground, not seeming to mind the mud at all, even giggling a little when it splashed up onto his ankles. I, on the other hand, grimaced when the wet stuff hit my jeans. I'd have to wash them when I got home, which was not awesome at all.

And I had finally said/thought the word awesome for the first time in at least ten years! Over mud, but I guess it was doing wonders for me.

"So you live with your brother?" Matthew asked, a few feet in front of me. I hurried to catch up with him, glad that we finally reached the road, which meant less mud. The dancing light of the lantern cast shadows around us, which was slightly eerie but enchanting at the same time. I nodded, and when I realized he hadn't seen this action I said, "Yes. My younger brother Ludwig,"

Matthew hummed in response, for which I was grateful. I didn't want to have to answer any questions as to why my _younger _brother would be so dictatorial over his elder sibling.

When we reached the slope where the mud road connected with the concrete road, Matthew stopped. I looked at him curiously, then realized that my house is just around the corner.

"Thanks. I know the way back from here"

"No problem," He smiled, and was about to go back into the forest when he stopped and turned to face me, his uneasiness flickering with the latern. "Er… so I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Well. That was a first. Another smile and heck, he looked good when he smiles. Better than when he was scowling at me and demanding that I leave his home at once. Yeah. I like smiles a lot better. He waved, then turned and skipped back into the forest, his silhouette soon swallowed by the darkness of the trees. I watched him leave before remembering the time and swearing under my breath as I rushed back to the house at top speed.

Ludwig was waiting for me on the porch. He was standing with his arms akimbo, glaring like there was no tomorrow and oh my god he was looking so very scary. He was practically _flooding _the place with the creepy aura of his.

"Gilbert!" he barked when he sees me, eliciting a small flinch from me. I stopped, my feet skidding on the concrete as I faced him. "Where on _earth _have you been?"

I pointed behind me. "Exploring,"

"Do you know what time it is?" Well, way to ask a completely useless question Ludwig. Why do you think I rushed home in the first place? So I could see you oh so pretty face? I didn't answer, which undoubtedly made Ludwig even angrier.

"You don't go out without asking me, okay? You don't go out unless I know where you're going and I make sure it's safe!"

Impatience boiled in my chest and my deep hatred for Ludwig's nagging resurfaces, but no, I kept it down because there was no point in this. I simply nodded and walk past him into the house. "So, what's for dinner?"

I knew he wasn't finished, that he wanted to continue his lecture, but he didn't and appeared beside me, deflated. "I haven't stated making it yet. Would you like to help?"

I shrugged and we enter the kitchen. The bag of groceries were present again, and Ludwig went over to pull food out. "So, did you find anything interesting?"

Words of Matthew died on my tongue so I shook my head. "Nah, it's just an empty forest."

Ludwig looked at me sharply. "Are there any people?" I shook my head again, feeling a little guilty to be lying to him. But he simply nodded and I slumped in relief against the fridge. "Well, I'm glad you've finally decided to leave the house. I guess it was better for us to move to the countryside, yes?"

I grunted distractedly, eyeing a pile of clothes that have been left unattended beside the sofa. They were Ludwig's old clothes, clothes that he had tons of and probably wouldn't miss anyway. I remembered the tattered state of Matthew's clothes and quietly went over to the pile and scooped a few up into my arms. "Ludwig, where's my room?"

"You can choose, we have quite a few rooms. Mine is two doors from the bathroom upstairs," I randomly kicked open a door, wincing slightly when it crashed into the wall. There was a thud in the kitchen and Ludwig's voice flew up the stairs, but I assured him that I was alright and carried the bundle into my new room before dropping it on the bed. Dust filled the air and I choked, sweeping the rest of it onto the floor before grabbing the broom that was resting outside and hastily dusting the floor before going back downstairs.

During dinner I stuck some food in a plastic bag while Ludwig wasn't looking and excuse myself to my room. The forest might have more food, but I figured Matthew would appreciate something other than berries and branches for once.

~.::~xXx~::.~

It wasn't difficult to sneak past Ludwig due to the size of the house, but I informed him of my whereabouts anyway. It would be a bother to have to deal with another lecture. Ludwig looked a little worried; it shows clearly in those eyes of his, but he let me go because 'it's good for me to get out of the house'. Plus it wasn't raining anymore. So I grabbed the plastic bag with all the clothes and food, making sure Ludwig didn't see it, and followed the same path I took the day before. I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to find the little house again, but after a while the hedges opened up and the ruined village appeared.

At first I didn't see Matthew, but when I walked around his house I saw him bending down and stroking a flower, a peaceful smile on his lips. It seemed almost a crime to interrupt him so I watched silently until Matthew straightened and turned around. He started when he saw me and I opened my mouth to apologize, but the smile returned and he says,

"Gilbert. I didn't expect you to come,"

"Well, I said I would, didn't I?"

He shrugged, scooping up the polar bear on the floor and slowly rocking it in his arms. It opened an eye sleepily and waves in his face and I rush forward in alarm, but he only giggles and pats the bear on its head. "Now now, Kumakiku, you have to behave, okay?" Gilbird chirped above my head and suddenly shot forward, almost colliding into… whatever the bear's name is. It swatted at him in response, and I cried out, "Hey, don't hurt Gilbird!"

Matthew raised an eyebrow as he pried the bear's paws from the precious fluff ball. "Gilbird?"

I huffed as I scooped the little yellow bird into my safe hands. "Yeah, that's his name,"

"Isn't it a bit… I dunno, egotistical?"

Egotistical? He dared? "What? Not at all! It's an awesome name!"

He chuckled and set the polar bear back down. His gaze shifted to the bag lying at my feet and he asked, "What's that?"

"Oh yeah, I brought some stuff for you." I sifted through the bag and pulled out a few clothes, hoping they would fit. "You look like you need some new clothes. And food," I tossed a bundle at him as I looked for the chips.

"Oh, thank you very much. My clothes were getting rather old…" He held out a shirt in front of him, assessing the size. Then he pulled off his current shirt, tossed it to the ground, and pulled the new one on. It was a little too big, but acceptable and a heck of a lot better than the old shirt that currently lay on the floor. I grinned and tossed him the pack of chips as well. His eyes widened in surprise as he eyed the packet in his hands.

"What's this?"

"Chips. Staple food for the normal human being. Please tell me you've eaten them before," He shook his head and I sighed, plucking it from his hands and pulling it open. I pulled one out and waved it in front of his eyes. "Chips. Okay?"

Matthew wrinkled his nose. "It doesn't look very healthy." He the took it tentatively between his thin fingers and nibbled experimentally on it. "Tastes okay though," He swallowed the whole thing and reached inside for another one. My grin widened and I reached inside the bag for another pack. Geez, was he weird or what?

"So, whatcha doing? Did you finish that painting of yours?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It's not exactly my best work… but it's okay, I guess."

"Can I see it?"

He nodded again and went into his house, gesturing for me to following him. The door squeaked open and I made a mental note to help him fix it sometime. My sudden desire to help this almost stranger surprised me, but it was the type of surprise that made me smile before I knew it. I could already feel myself warming up to this peculiar boy.

I recognized the unframed canvas lying in the corner, and walked up to it. There was the green sky, the purple and pink blobs of flowers that frame the light green river. I giggled silently when I saw the colorful fish floating in the sky, some converging in one corner while the others swam to other sides of the painting. In the middle was a giant globe, except it was all the wrong colors. What's supposed to be the sea is gold, and the land is completely black. There's a tiny figure sitting on top, but I couldn't make out anything about it apart from its outline.

"It's very… abstract…"

"It's how I see the world," he shrugged, tapping a knuckle against the green sky. "The sky may not be green to you, but it's very much green to me. I couldn't imagine a sky that's not this color."

"You don't have to imagine it," I interjected, "All you have to do is go outside the forest and look at the sky. It's very blue indeed."

"Well, we have our own opinions," he replied quietly, rolling the painting back up and replacing it carefully in its old place. I didn't feel like arguing, so I look around his house.

Despite the exterior of the house, the inside was still pretty much intact. Several framed paintings hung on the plain blue wallpaper that was yellowing and peeling at places, and the floor carpeted, although ripped slightly. A bed was tucked away in the corner with a small beside table next to it. Pushed against the opposite wall was a desk with various books piled up on the side, a rolling chair sitting in front of it. An old bookcase stood beside it. A bit further in was the kitchen. There was a gas stove which looked like it hadn't been used in a while, a generator, an icebox, and a dining table. Two doors led to bedrooms, although the both of them obviously hadn't been slept in for a while. Cans and cans of paint were piled up in the corner of the smaller room. I guess that's where he got all his supplies.

"Damn, you redefine simple living, you." I walked up to the generator, which was so worn down and rusted I doubted it would work ever again. "Why don't you fix this thing? Then you wouldn't have to use that lantern of yours."

"I don't know how to fix it…" he said sheepishly, looking embarrassed. I laughed and patted him on the back. "Well then, you've found the perfect guy! But I don't think this thing will ever work again… you might as well throw it out. You need a new one."

Matthew groaned and shook his head. "Well I'm not going to leave this place. That's why I haven't asked anyone to help me out with it yet."

I looked at him questioningly. "Why on earth would you do that?" He didn't answer and I got the feeling I'd just touched a sensitive subject. So I closed my mouth and looked at the two extra bedrooms. "Who's are these?"

"My family's,"

"Where are they now?" I wondered what kind of a family would just leave their fellow man out here in the forest, all alone and just waiting for a bear to maul him. He responded, his voice even softer than usual, "They're dead,"

Oh dear. Well… I gaped for a moment before looking down shamefully at my feet. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, they lived a happy life, and they died happy."

"What happened?"

"They just… passed away. Old age, you know?"

"It must have been hard for you,"

"Nah, I was sad, but as I said, they were happy. It hit Alfred pretty hard though…"

"Alfred?"

"Um… yes. My twin brother; we look very much alike so people usually got us mixed up."

"And what happened to him?"

"Oh er… he moved away with the rest of the village." He looked away from my look of disbelief, choosing to stare instead at his bookcase. The outburst got stuck in my throat, and I couldn't bring myself to say it with that hurt expression of his. But really? What kind of a brother was that? To leave his own twin alone in a place like this?

_What kind of a brother would lock their brother in a basement for two years?_

"O-oh." Was my awkward response. "W-well no fear, 'cause the awesome me is here!" I stuck a fist in the air and grinned as widely as I could, earning a soft giggle from Matthew. The uncomfortable awkwardness still hung in the air but I tried to steer around it by asking, "So, the chips are awesome, huh? Much better than anything you'll probably get here. What do you eat here anyway?"

Matthew frowned indignantly, but he replied, "Berries, mushrooms, fish, meat. I eat leaves sometimes if I'm really desperate, but those taste horrible and I always have to sprinkle them with salt and the like." He eyed his kitchen counter and sighed exasperatedly. "I'm running out of that though… I also have a few cans of fruit and sauces, but they're also running out…"

"Urgh, you eat leaves?"

"Improvisation," he said shortly. I stood up and brush dust off my clothes, and he looked at me questioningly, a hand on the stool so he could get up too. But before he could, I pointed at him, teeth flashing as I announced, "You, good sir, are in need of serious help!"

"Huh?"

"I see that it depends on _me _to make sure you don't become a boring caveman!"

He stared at me with wide, amazed eyes, before he bent over himself and burst into euphoric laughter. I jumped back, taken aback by the sudden sound. His laughter nears hysterical and I almost panicked, but then it died down and he wiped a tear from his eyes.

"You… you're really funny, Gilbert," he chuckled, and I wondered if he was taunting me or if it was supposed to be a compliment.

"You're pretty strange yourself, forest boy," I sneered back.

"Well, would you care to be friends with the strange forest boy?"

Friends, huh? The word tasted foreign on my tongue; when was the last time I'd had a friend? "I would like that very much, yes,"

He beamed at me and it was so very radiant and dazzling and contagious, and I was grinning back in no time, feeling a warm and fuzzy feeling bubble in my chest. I remember feeling just like a slab of butter, melting under the summery sun's warmth and oh how wonderful it feels. As his sky is green, my sun is Matthew, as clichéd as that may sound, lighting up my eternal blackness.

When I returned home it was nearing twilight and the sun was turning the horizon a deep orange. I tried to convince Matthew to follow me out of the forest to see the true sky but he held back, his bare feet having more grip on the ground than the force at which I could pull. I reminded myself to get the rascal proper shoes. But really, he doesn't know what he's missing, I thought as I watched the sun dip under the mountains.

"Gilbert!"

It wasn't not like I had a curfew or anything, so I didn't understand why Ludwig had to get so mad all the time. Having an overly irascible brother wasn't very easy. He forcefully pulled me into the house, ignoring my weak protests. He doesn't have to pull my collar so hard, it's painful, I berated, and he released me in surprise, staring at me as if I'm a ghost. Frankly it was freaky, and I briefly wondered if I had something on my face.

"Is something the matter?"

He shook his head, lifting his hand as if to place it over his mouth, but stopped this action halfway and quietly announced that dinner is ready, leaving me to figure out this sudden aberration.

* * *

**Pfft... I'm sorry it's so random and OOC... this is the hardest thing I've written so far -shot- :P I had to keep going back to edit it and it's still crap... che**

**Anyway I'm feeling like traumatizing Prussia. I'm sorrryyyyy~ but that's just the way it is :I  
**


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